Buffs to host Cherokee Trail OT Travis Gray unofficially next week
Next Thursday, Colorado will host Cherokee Trail offensive tackle Travis Gray on an unofficial visit. The 6-foot-7, 295-pound prospect has stated that he'll announce a commitment by Aug. 31, but has not specified further than that.
Nevertheless, Gray's trip to Boulder will be important as far as the Buffs are concerned, as they look to bring him into the fold.
The Buffaloes currently have one offensive tackle committed for the Class of 2022 in Hattiesburg, Miss. native Carter Edwards.
Position coach Mitch Rodrigue, who this recruiting cycle is stressing the tackle position, currently has a few other fish on the line in Jackson Brown and Valor Christian's Jake Maikkula, among a few others.
Gray, even though he's local, picked up an offer from Colorado only in June, following a workout with Rodrigue in Boulder.
Arizona State, Kansas, Missouri and San Diego State are some other offers that Gray has reeled in, but along with the Buffs, Arizona and Maryland appear to be the programs he's primarily focused on at this point.
The Wildcats and Terrapins were his first Power Five offers, which came in January and February.
Gray conducted a virtual visit with Maryland, which he then followed up with an in-person official visit in June.
His recruitment by Arizona played out in similar fashion, as in mid-June, he visited Tucson on an unofficial visit.
Gray recently described his OV with the Wildcats, which seemed to go well.
"The University of Arizona has rolled out the red carpet for me, in my opinion," Gray said. "I had a private lunch with their head coach, Jedd Fisch, and me and (offensive line) coach (Brennan) Carroll talk on the daily. They are some of the teams that have been really on me."
As for the Buffaloes, being the local institution after him has its benefits, as does the fact that his father, Lamarr, was a senior outside linebacker for Colorado when the Buffs won a National Championship in 1990.
However, equally if not more important for Colorado's sake could be Gray wanting to stay close to his trainer, none other than Matt McChesney over at Six Zero Strength + Fitness.
Gray has made it clear that he'll continue to learn from McChesney even when he enters the college ranks; going to CU and having McChesney right down the road, so to speak, would present the easiest way to keep sharpening his tools at Six Zero.
For now, consider Arizona having the advantage with Gray. That being said, if the Buffs nail it on his unofficial visit next week, things could very well change.
"I’ve gone to all the games but I want to see the school part of CU," he recently told CUSportsNation. "I want to see the business school because I intend on majoring in business. (Rodrigue) said we’ll have the whole day and will get to speak to coach (Karl) Dorrell and get to know him a little bit more."
